It is generally understood that a golf ball will travel significantly further when heated to at least 80° F. Accordingly, devices capable of heating and maintaining golf balls at such temperatures have significant practical utility for golfers in colder regions, where temperatures rarely, if ever, reach or exceed 80° F. Likewise, such devices are useful for all golfers during colder months of the year.
Several prior art devices have been proposed to enable golfers to take advantage of the aforementioned performance benefits associated with heated golf balls. These devices come in a wide array of shapes, sizes and configurations and employ a variety of means for heating golf balls disposed therein, including: chemical (U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,545,362, 5,915,373 and 5,998,771), heated air (U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,683,155, 4,420,681, 4,967,062 and 5,057,670), heated water (U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,949), conduction (U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,411), solar power (U.S. Pat. No. 5,860,415) and radiation (U.S. Pat. No. 4,155,002).
Despite the physical differences between existing golf ball heaters, however, virtually all of the devices disclosed in the above cited patents are deficient in at least one significant respect. None of these devices are equipped to portably, effectively and reliably heat and maintain golf balls within a desired temperature range, particularly over extended periods of play. For example, the heaters disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,049,949, 4,155,002, 4,967,062 and 5,057,670 require access to a standard electrical outlet in order for balls to become heated to the desired temperature range. During play, the respective heat sources are disabled and insulation is relied upon to keep the balls heated. Thus, while these devices are equipped to heat golf balls to a desired temperature, it cannot be said that they are capable of portably and effectively maintaining a desired temperature range over an extended period of time.
Prior art heaters employing other means for heating golf balls are similarly ill-equipped and insufficient for heating balls to a specific temperature and portably, effectively and reliably maintaining balls within an a specific temperature range. U.S. Pat. No. 6,130,411 discloses a golf ball heater relying on conductance to heat golf balls to the desired temperature. In addition, this device employs elements facilitating portable heating of golf balls, temperature monitoring and automatic application of heat where the temperature falls under the desired range. Power to the heating means is automatically shut off where the temperature exceeds the desired range. The problem, however, is that the operation of the heating means is independent from the retrieval of a heated ball. That is, where the user opens the device to retrieve a ball and leaves the heater open or fails to fully close the device, the heating means will continue to operate without effectively heating and maintaining the remaining balls within the desired range. Further, the exposed heating means poses a substantial safety risk.
Therefore, it is desirable that a device exist that reliably heats golf balls to a desired temperature, monitors and maintains that temperature, yet avoids the problems and hazards associated with existing golf ball heating devices.